Tissot sponsored Nicky Hayden was the proud winner of the MotoGP World Championship in 2006, but as his 2009 season doesn’t seem to be going quite to plan, we caught up with the Kentucky Kid for a little chat.
So, Nicky, tell us a bit about yourself
Well, I don’t have any big secrets really, I’m a motor cycle racer from Kentucky… that’s all I’ve ever really done, all I’ve ever really known and obviously now, riding motoGP makes me feel like I’m the luckiest boy in the world!
So was it natural progression into this industry?
It’s just always been what we’ve done my dad raced, my mom raced and both of my brothers are American Champions and my cousins raced… I guess we don’t know how to do anything else!
So, going back to 2006 when you won the championship, you haven’t repeated that… why do you think that is?
Well I mean I can’t just rattle off excuses and sound like a cry baby but I loved the 990 air, I think that really suited my style and I think that big, American super bikes and my background really helped me on those and things really haven’t clicked a whole lot in the last few years but we’ve still been somewhat competitive.
You’ve been seconds off the pace?
Well I’m less than that but I’ve still managed to get some podiums and be on the front row but I’m thirsty to get back to winning, that’s where the fun’s at!
Well, I must talk about Germany a few weekends ago, spectacular crash in practise wasn’t it?
Yeah! It was spectacular to watch but pretty scary to do, you know it’s part of our game. I mean the track had gotten really wet and I thought I had a good chance to get on the front row and was going forward but I was lucky that no one was hurt.
Just to talk about the start, it looked like you were going to challenge the leaders but then you just went quiet, what happened there?
Well I had a great start and then I got in to hard and was a little too hot and the pack swallowed me up, when I went to turn in David was there and I got pushed off and I just did not hav a good turn one and I slipped to 14th. I was my fault, I was 3rd going into turn one… I don’t want to talk about it really, I know I cold have had a good result but this season has gotten so much better for my now than in the beginning and I’m having fun and I’m really excited for the up and coming races.
So to talk abut the new rules, what kind of impact do you think that have had on the sport?
Well you know we just keep adding rules and more rules, I don’t like so many rules. The whole switch to 800 turned out to be a dumb one, but that happens, sure the economy situation and the recession you can’t deny that it’s here and that it’s real but we need to do stuff that enables the teams to continue racing, and I'm all for that!
Now, I’m a fan of yours and I find your style smooth, aggressive and very calculated in your riding, how do you describe your own style?
Well you did a pretty good job there! You know, I feel similar, pretty smooth and aggressive but I’ve worked really hard on is driving in the rain. I’m improving my rain riding and without that I could never have been world champion so I’m quite pleased with the progress we’ve made there but I still know I need to improve more, especially on my feedback to the team
I’d say I’m a pretty laid back guy who is determined on the track and doesn’t give up easily.
So to do what you do, you need to be incredibly fit to drag a bike around a track, what kind of preparations do you do?
Well I work with a trainer and certainly the level here is great, so anything to get an edge on them is brilliant. Physical training is important because it makes you mentally stronger and it’s really more important because this game can beat you down and I think the guys who are here year after year are the guys who are mentally strong enough to keep coming back but you need to go to the gym, have some strength and a bit of meat on your bones for when you have some of those crashes! But since we switched to 800, the lighter you are, the better.
You need to do a lot of cycling and running, and there are some games you can do to improve mental focus and things too. A lot goes into this job, the smallest mistake and you’re done.
So now you’ve been world champion, what motivates you to keep going?
I really love racing motor cycles, it’s in my blood. I guess for some people, the success of winning makes them less hungry for it, but once I’ve tasted it I realised how much fun it was and it makes you want it even more and I really hope my best days are ahead of me.
So when will we see a Nicky Hayden dominated season?
I still have a long way to go but my plan is to keep gaining momentum this year and working out with the team and then next year really coming out and firing from the open. I really see this year as a building year.
Do you have any really fun times that stand out during racing or practice?
Well yeah, sure when the bikes not working it feels like it’s trying to kill you, but when the bike’s working good it’s a lot of fun. Actually when I was in Germany, I was the fastest in the first section for a long time and to start the season seeing P1 on my pit board…. Haha, I was enjoying myself!
You've obviously got off-track interests too and you’ve been dabbling in a TV career, what else do you have in the pipeline then?
Not a lot really, my focus is racing. Obviously I can’t race for the rest of my life so I will need to think about it, but at the moment I don’t have any plan B.
So how do you find time to chill out from such an intense sport?
Before I used to have a hard time getting away from it because it means so much to you, but when we have time off I can go back to Kentucky and I come from a big family so I enjoy spending time with them and my friends. It’s quite a small town where I live so I love going back there and being with my people.
Just to digress a little now, who do you see as the biggest threat form the upcoming riders?
Sure there’s a lot of talent and to just pick a few guys would be to hard.
Is there a place for women in Motor GP?
I wouldn’t be surprised, my sister used to be very fast. I'm thinking that in this lifetime we’ll see a girl up there.
And what about predictions… do you have any?
I’ve learned not to open my mouth a whole lot and make big predictions, so we’ll see. I don’t think it was my best result of the year this weekend, so watch this space…
Brilliant, now Nicky, I’m going to ask you some questions and I want you to give me a one or two word answer… ready?
Valentino Rossi?
He’s bloodthirsty, the guy is above everything else and he just knows how to win. He’s just naturally fast.
Your pit crew?
Hard working
Ducati?
Fast
Barack Obama?
Ahh! I know you want a straight answer but I’m still sitting on the fence, I need a bit more time. He’s going and raising our taxes a bit more, so this ain’t exactly giving him any popularity with my folks, but he’s got a let of work to do, we’ll see. Ask me next year at Donnington!
Check out our Bradley Smith Interview
Matt Shine Talking to Nicky Hayden, at the Tissot hosted track day at Donnington Park. Check out Nicky Hayden’s Limited Edition Tissot watch here
Tissot sponsored Nicky Hayden was the proud winner of the MotoGP World Championship in 2006, but as his 2009 season doesn’t seem to be going quite to plan, we caught up with the Kentucky Kid for a little chat.
So, Nicky, tell us a bit about yourself
The whole switch to 800 turned out to be a dumb one, but that happens, we need to do stuff that enables the teams to continue racing, and I'm all for that
Well, I don’t have any big secrets really, I’m a motor cycle racer from Kentucky… that’s all I’ve ever really done, all I’ve ever really known and obviously now, riding motoGP makes me feel like I’m the luckiest boy in the world!
So was it natural progression into this industry?
It’s just always been what we’ve done my dad raced, my mom raced and both of my brothers are American Champions and my cousins raced… I guess we don’t know how to do anything else!
So, going back to 2006 when you won the championship, you haven’t repeated that… why do you think that is?
Well I mean I can’t just rattle off excuses and sound like a cry baby but I loved the 990 air, I think that really suited my style and I think that big, American super bikes and my background really helped me on those and things really haven’t clicked a whole lot in the last few years but we’ve still been somewhat competitive.
You’ve been seconds off the pace?
Well I’m less than that but I’ve still managed to get some podiums and be on the front row but I’m thirsty to get back to winning, that’s where the fun’s at!
Well, I must talk about Germany a few weekends ago, spectacular crash in practise wasn’t it?
Yeah! It was spectacular to watch but pretty scary to do, you know it’s part of our game. I mean the track had gotten really wet and I thought I had a good chance to get on the front row and was going forward but I was lucky that no one was hurt.
Just to talk about the start, it looked like you were going to challenge the leaders but then you just went quiet, what happened there?
Well I had a great start and then I got in to hard and was a little too hot and the pack swallowed me up, when I went to turn in David was there and I got pushed off and I just did not hav a good turn one and I slipped to 14th. I was my fault, I was 3rd going into turn one… I don’t want to talk about it really, I know I cold have had a good result but this season has gotten so much better for my now than in the beginning and I’m having fun and I’m really excited for the up and coming races.
So to talk abut the new rules, what kind of impact do you think that have had on the sport?
Well you know we just keep adding rules and more rules, I don’t like so many rules. The whole switch to 800 turned out to be a dumb one, but that happens, sure the economy situation and the recession you can’t deny that it’s here and that it’s real but we need to do stuff that enables the teams to continue racing, and I'm all for that!
Now, I’m a fan of yours and I find your style smooth, aggressive and very calculated in your riding, how do you describe your own style?
Well you did a pretty good job there! You know, I feel similar, pretty smooth and aggressive but I’ve worked really hard on is driving in the rain. I’m improving my rain riding and without that I could never have been world champion so I’m quite pleased with the progress we’ve made there but I still know I need to improve more, especially on my feedback to the team
I’d say I’m a pretty laid back guy who is determined on the track and doesn’t give up easily.
So to do what you do, you need to be incredibly fit to drag a bike around a track, what kind of preparations do you do?
Well I work with a trainer and certainly the level here is great, so anything to get an edge on them is brilliant. Physical training is important because it makes you mentally stronger and it’s really more important because this game can beat you down and I think the guys who are here year after year are the guys who are mentally strong enough to keep coming back but you need to go to the gym, have some strength and a bit of meat on your bones for when you have some of those crashes! But since we switched to 800, the lighter you are, the better.
You need to do a lot of cycling and running, and there are some games you can do to improve mental focus and things too. A lot goes into this job, the smallest mistake and you’re done.
So now you’ve been world champion, what motivates you to keep going?
I really love racing motor cycles, it’s in my blood. I guess for some people, the success of winning makes them less hungry for it, but once I’ve tasted it I realised how much fun it was and it makes you want it even more and I really hope my best days are ahead of me.
